All in the name of honour

[DS Star]

'Honour Killings' and Honour Based Violence (HBV) - the killings and violent attacks of women by family members to protect their so-called honour; are on the rise.

Statistics & Data by http://hbv-awareness.com/
- 5000 honour killings internationally per year.
- 1000 honour killings occur in India
- 1000 honour killings occur in Pakistan
- 12 honour killings per year in  UK

"Statistics obtained under the Freedom of Information Act about such violence – which can include threats, abduction, acid attacks, beatings, forced marriage, mutilation and murder – show that in the 12 police force areas for which comparable data was available, reports went up by 47% in just a year...

The 39 police forces that gave Ikwro (Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation), figures recorded 2,823 incidents in 2010. Ikwro estimates that another 500 crimes in which police were involved were committed in the 13 force areas that did not provide data..." The Guardian, Saturday 3 December 2011


Banaz Mahmod left her violent husband to be with her boyfriend, but was killed by relatives in 2006

The million-dollor question is...

Are 'honour' killings and HBV related to religion?

This is the answer from HBV.com in its FAQ questions and answers page.
http://hbv-awareness.com/faq/#fourteen


What's your opinion on this?
Do we have the right to get involve?
As Buddhists, what can we do to help stop these killings?

[RedLantern]

Murder is just simply murder. It is not complicated,nor blameless.Many things are done in the name of religion that goes against the religious teachings. Compassion is never hopeless.
Many religion expound compassion .and the spread of the spread of those religions testifies to the success of that message. I believe most people are compassionate and that many others may be persuaded to do so.

[Manjushri]

I do not agree with honor killings/HBV, and think that people are misguided in performing certain acts to others which harms and causes suffering to them in the name of religion. It could be called karma, that people are born into situations like this where they do not have a say and this is their suffering, but killing in the name of honor, sounds like it is to protect the face value of the family, which to me is a ridiculous basis to end someone's otherwise perfect life. I do not know what we can do to stop the killings, but to speak out against it. Religious teachings do not inflict pain/hurt/suffering onto others.

[eyesoftara]

There is no honour in "honour killings". Full stop!

These killings are just ways to justify their self ego that caused the murderers to kill in the first place. The culture of the people who commits honour killings are backwards and barbaric to say the least. Circumstances that is acceptable as "honour killing" can be simple like a sister who ran away from her abusive husband. The brother then murder the sister in the name of family honour. Clearly, they think of their "face" more than the sisters suffering.
However, what we can do is to highlight these killings and make their government take action and not to accept honour killing as acceptable. Places like India and Pakistan does have laws against honour killing but it is always hard to prosecute, due to lack of witness and corruption. If tribal areas in Pakistan and Aghanistan, it is even acceptable to settle the issue by paying blood money to the victim families.

[MoMo]

Honor killing had long used as tools to control by the ruling parties or one that holding power over others to eliminate those that does not conform to the “rules” laid down by them. It is really only a means to justify the act of violent that would be contrary to norm of society. Having to resort to this form of punishment in essence shows that one is losing control as the rules laid down was not base on universal truth of love and compassion but more of self-gain. Since the basis is incorrect the result would be similar too. Hence there is no honorary to speak about in the first place!